Cold Steel 88HCS Saber, 1860 Heavy Cavalry

I have purchased many swords over the past 20 years. The two I own from Cold Steel by far have been the most hardy and the most rugged. Previously I had purchased the 1917 Naval Saber which apparently is no longer sold. It was heavy and a bit of a wrist breaker but a very ruggedly made 'slashing.chopping' weapon. If you search reviews under my name you'll find my comments.The 1860 Cavalry Saber is even better. The weapon is balanced slightly further back as to take a lot of strain off of the wrist. I'm 50 and and am not getting any younger! The weapon also feels a bit lighter than the Naval Saber and can be moved much more quickly with only a slight flick on the wrist.Some points of interest.1) The sword and steel scabbard were packaged in a thin layer of grease with plastic wrap. Paper towels followed by some acetone cleaned the grease away easily.2) The blade was polished to a mirror shine. It was properly sharpened so only the 1st 1/2 for the blade was for cutting or stabbing. The latter half of the blade was thick and not sharpened to be used for parry.3) The hilt and wire wrapped grip were well made. (Be sure to not get chemicals on the grip!)4) The steel scabbard was so well made that if fit like a tight glove but the sword could easily be withdrawn. Absolutely no rattle or free play could be observed. However one of the screws holding the throat piece of the scabbard had obviously been stripped.There was a leather (I assume this is leather) piece that came that must be slid up the blade to the hilt. I assume this is the throat 'stop' for the sword to seal out water and to serve as a rattle dampener within the scabbard. The sword cannot rattle from the quality work of the scabbard. I, however, caution against leaving leather of any type in prolonged contact with steel. The acids in the leather and the moisture that leather attracts will promote rust. I think a rubber piece would have been more practical but I'm sure some people wanted authenticity.The only drawback was the grip length. I have very large hands and typically need xxl gloves. The handle was just a little short for my comfort.George Sports did a super job in delivery and got it here 1 day sooner than expected.

It's exactly what my husband wanted... It's huge and weights a lot. It's a good replica I've been told... It's very thick and durable I seriously doubt this would break from use... It is sharp toward the tip which is where my complaint is... not because it doesn't advertise this yes it does claim to be sharp but I only knew this in concept not practice... He has stabbed my ceiling and walls more than once with this item. I work very hard to keep my house clean and spotless my walls painted meticulously. I personally get a dreaded feeling in my stomach every time I hear it drawn from it's sheath. It looks cool I want to encourage my husband to instead mount the thing. I can't say how versatile this item is I think if you want to stab walls and ceiling with it then it's perfect! As for slicing water bottles I personally think the sword would be too heavy for that without tons of training.

I chose this sword for my son's birthday present. It arrived just on schedule, on the last day. Both the scabbard and the sword came greased up in white thick sticky grease. Both items look great and the construction is superior. It came with the English test certificate. It's a heavy but balanced sword, with a sharp edge at it's last foot of length. The grip is finished in leather and wire, very comfortable. The hilt is a weapon in itself that can be used to strike when you cannot slash or pierce due to being in a confined are. I gave it four stars just because the scabbard started rusting the day after the grease was removed, even though with proper care this can be resolved and avoided.

I’m an avid and eclectic sword collector for going on 20 years. Always wanted a civil war saber. Shopped for these several times over the years, could never make up my mind on which one to buy. So many options priced high and low. All price ranges have mixed reviews. This one is priced higher than I wanted to go, but when I saw the brand, I decided to go for it. Cold steel has a reputation for quality and I was not let down. Long freaking blade at 36 inches. Good strong steel with nice flex for the length. Hight quality brass. Scabbard is also good quality and could be used as a defensive weapon by itself. Balance is not bad considering it’s a one handed sword. I’ve got large hands and it fits me perfectly. Plus the guard is very wide so you could grip like a pistol and swing if you needed extra force. Only negative comment is the sharpness. Only halfway down from the tip is sharpened. Rest is dul but that’s fixable. Still giving 5 stars since it’s an awesome sword